EmtFire42

Why does it matter aside from maybe helping figure out what is wrong with the patient? Forget about how its just wrong to treat someone differently based upon a medical condition, what if they don't know they're carrying some disease. Everyone gets treated the same unless I suspect an infection requiring droplet precautions.
Moderator note: This was the very last post made by Lenny, before he left us for keeps. RIP.

I had the privilege of being Jeff's instructor on several occasions and can tell you he is one of the most dedicated and motivated students I've had and is a very capable firefighter who earned every single certification he has by far exceeding the minimum standard. I would work with Jeff any day.
To simply put it..you have to meet the standards. We can debate what the "minimum" standard is, but everyone who enters a course, I can assure you at a "minimum" is meeting the standard of the curriculum set forth by NY State and the NFPA.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/405322_10151059806500571_114240140570_22106190_939752510_n.jpg
Get well to the R-2 Brothers!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the case, On December 9, 1981 at 0350 hours Philidelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner conducted a traffic stop at the corner of 12th Street and Locust Street. PO Faulkner was attempting to arrest Wesley Cook when Cook's brother wesley (AKA mumia abu jamal who is a confirmed black panther) ran across the street and cowardly and like the piece of s*** that he is, shot officer Faulkner in the back. PO Faulkner was able to fire one round that struck mumia in the chest. PO Faulkner then collapsed to the ground. Mumia abu jamal in a second cowardly cold blooded move then shot officer faulkner 4 times at close range including once in the face.
The backup units arrived 90 seconds after the call for backup and found mumia next to officer faulkner holdig a gun, the gun that was used to murder danny faulkner. Mumia was identified by 4 witnesses as the man who murdered officer faulkner.
Mumia was found guilty in 1982 and sentenced to death. In 1989 the PA Supreme Court upheld the conviction and denied a request for a retrial. The US Supreme Court refused to hear arguments on mumias claims.
In 2008 a federal appeals court in their infinite wisdom ( please note the sarcasm) decided abu jamal should get a new sentencing hearing on the grounds that the instructions given to the jury in 1982 "may have been" misleading.
Yesterday, the Philidelphia DA decided to not seek the death penalty again and instead chose to seek life without parole.
This case had a mountain of overwhelming evidence and this mans guilt is undeniable but it seems that the pressure that was put forth by the likes of susan serandon, ed asner, maya angelou, alec baldwin, the beastie boys, harry belafonte, the black eyed peas, and the city of st. denis in france even named a friggen street after him - a street named in honor of a cop killer - UNREAL.
It is no secret that society sees the lives of police officers as expendable. It seems that today it is socially "hip" to be anti cop.
For those of you who took the time to read this rant I thank you. Very rarely do I let things get under my skin but I see the support for this murderer as a direct assault on myself and on police officers everywhere. Death would have been too good for this murderer but death is what he deserved. This animal gets to live out his life treated like a hero by those around him in jail but where is the justice for danny faulkner who is THE REAL HERO...

My heart felt condolences go out to the members of Worcester MA FD and the family and friends of their member who answer his last alarm on 12/8/11. A loss is very difficult at any age, at any time and under any circumstances. Remember, he will always be with you, no matter what. My family will keep all of you in our thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time.
The last alarm
My father was a fireman.
He drove a big red truck
and when he'd go to work each day
he'd say "Mother wish me luck".
Then Dad would not come home again
'til some time the next day.
But the thing that bothered me the most
was the thing's some folks would say,
"A fireman's life is easy,
he eats and sleeps and plays,
and sometime's he won't fight a fire
for days and days and day's".
When I first heard these words
I was to young to understand
but I knew when people had trouble
Dad was there to lend a hand.
Then my father went to work one day
and he kissed us all goodbye
but little did we realize
that night we all would cry.
My father lost his life that night
when the floor gave way below
and I'd wondered why he'd risked his life
for someone he didn't know.
But now I truly realize
the greatest gift a man can give
is to lay his life upon the line
so that someone else might live.
So as we go from day to day
and we pray to God above
say a prayer for your local Firemen.
He may save the one's you love.
Carved in stone at the National Monument for
Fallen Firefighters Colorado Springs, Co.

What sad news this morning. Worcester, Mass. IAFF Local 1009. We all bear witness once again to them getting hit hard. And news of our Brother lost this morning from Mount Vernon. December 8, 2011. Suddenly another infamous date. While we all commiserate here on the site, waiting for news.....a name....mornings like this one always bring you back full circle to other similar mornings.....
Today feels like....The Father's Day Fire.
Black Sunday.
Manlius, New York.
It's hard to make sense out of these days. Why?
It reminds me that the career fire service in America is actually not all that huge; and how we are all entwined together with a culture created and passed down through generations of firemen.
I cannot help but to think of the outpouring of respect that will be shown for these Brothers. I cannot help but to think of the absolute devastation that has occurred to two separate families this December morning. The trying days...months...years now put before families who only last evening had holiday plans in the works. Christmas forever changed for a lot of people in an instant.
In 2002 I traveled to Colorado Springs to pay respects at the IAFF National Memorial, hosted by IAFF Local 5, Colorado Springs Firefighters. The day before the Remembrance, I had a rented Toyota Four Runner, and decided to drive to the top of Pikes Peak. The Service the next day would be right in front of this mountain, where the Memorial is located.
When I reached the top after a couple of hours drive, standing there in the parking lot of the lodge I recognized the President of Local 1009. "Hey Worcester" I called out.
"Hey, how's it going?" the President of 1009 replied. "You want a beer?"
And so we shared a brew at 14,000 feet and spoke quietly amoungst ourselves.
The irony was not lost on me that there were six Brothers from 1009 standing there.
And now two more names will be chiseled into the face of that black wall out in Colorado Springs. In the shadow of Pikes Peak, surrounded by beauty, yet carved from tragedy.
Once again, Worcester Brothers will make the solemn journey, and this time our Brothers from Mount Vernon will accompany them.
So Rest now...jobs well done, the Lord has called you home.

I gotta say....I'm a little disappointed to read some of the comments that are written here. Why are we so excited to see this movement broken up? You don't have to agree with everything they're saying or rallying for down there. You also don't have to like the people who are doing it, BUT it's nice to see a little activism. It's nice to see people pushing back against the establishment because it's our constitutional right. The basis of this action is very similar to the founding of this country. Lets not be so quick to get excited that they're being "shut down".
I don't like a bunch of leaches and do nothings, but I also don't like some CEO's salary increasing 23% while his company sheds 10,000 jobs or the bank he runs won't lend money to the honest working man. The balance of power and wealth in this country is more lopsided than it's ever been.
Remember, if you're a civil servant (as I am)or any other Union worker, these protesters are your friend! They like you. They want you to make more money and be taxed less. The people that they're rallying against want to reduce your pension because it's too lucrative. They want to close firehouses because they'll never need you. They want to ship jobs to India because it'll leave them more money to pay themselves.
Look, it's probably about time they shut down this camp-site and cleaned up the park which must be a disaster. However, lets not be so quick to jump for joy at the end of a protest that has the working man's ideals in mind.

Cogs, you make some good points, and before I respond let me first clarify...Im glad the son-of-a-b**** bastard is dead, I believe he deserved a more painful and drawn out death/prisonment with a cell mate named bubba who loves bacon at every meal and lost a loved one during the attacks, but, (theres always a but)
We gave him a proper burial following muslim customs because we are better than people like him and we are not at war with the muslim religion...we are at war with the terrorists that mislead people to think that they follow that religion. Bin-Ladden was killed, an attempt was made to capture him first but he refused (thankfully) and they shot him; trouble over. Do we need to desecrate his corpse? No. We as americans are better, more civilized and show more respect for other religions and races, which is what separates us from these low life cowardly bastards that spread terror every day. The muslims have certain burial procedures and we followed them out of respect for them...NOT bin-ladden or his followers sakes. We are better than that.
I agree with you about the belley-aching over the use of "Geronimo", I got sick to my stomache when I heard it on the radio this morning. Get a life people...Its a dammed code name. We killed an evil man, so what that we used geronimo as a code name, its not an attack against the indian race or meant as an insult so get over it.

Police Officer Aaron Hess is a hero and saved lives the night that Criminal Danroy Henry attempted to run over Police Officers and may have killed civilians in the process. Its very simple:
1) PO Hess = good guy.
2) Criminal Henry = bad guy.
Any questions?

This is shameful, but it's what I have come to expect from today's GOP. Politicians like the wimpy, cry baby Rep. John Boehner who have no respect for Cops, Firefighters or the military. He's never placed himself in harm's way to protect his country or another human being. He stood with the GOP when they held The Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Bill hostage while demanding that Democrats join the GOP in extending tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. After getting the tax breaks for their wealthy corporate campaign supporters, they subsequently cut the funding for Zadroga in half before passing it. BTW, Rep. John Boehner didn't even stay in Washington to vote on the final bill which occurred on December 22nd, 2010. He along with many other GOP rich kids had already gone home to celebrate Christmas with their families. I wonder what it feels like to walk away from your responsibilities as an elected public servant whenever you feel like it, leaving your work undone. As a Firefighter, I wouldn't know that feeling, nor did I ever have the desire to abandon my responsibilities for my personal enjoyment ... Rep. John Boehner is a disgrace.
Thank you for your service to our country Mr. Buckles ... May you rest in peace ...

I have something that is worth posting here and is something I want all of you to read and really think about. This was forwarded to me by a friend. This was written by Meriden, CT, Battalion Chief Burdick.
These are words that I whole heartily beleive in and held true in my profession being a firefighter, from the time I started volunteering my service to my present career in the fire services. Next time when you use the term "Brotherhood" stop and think about it for a second and ask yourself how you use the term, live up to your actions, consider your self part of the Brotherhood. I see the term used often here, but are you truly in the brotherhood?
Just think.

Great turnout by PD, FD and EMS for the funeral of Poughkeepsie Police Det. John Falcone in Carmel.

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/traffic/northbound-i-25-closed-due-to-accident?ref=scroller&categoryId=10001&status=true
Hi all, Responded to this accident this morning.
What do you think should be done about Wrong Way drivers on the Highway?
How are they stopped on your side of the country?